Is my tetra tank overloaded

This is a discussion on Is my tetra tank overloaded within the Beginner Freshwater Aquarium forums, part of the Freshwater Fish and Aquariums category; -->
hi all - I have a 20g corner tank (aqua one ufo 550). It has been broken down due to mofinf house and once ...

hi all - I have a 20g corner tank (aqua one ufo 550). It has been broken down due to mofinf house and once held a group of live bearers. I want to move onto tetra's as I would like to begin planting and would like to see the schooling/shoaling effect.

Is this an overload and too much for a 20g corner tank? There are so many different responses on the next in reference to number of fish per tank requirement. you all have much more experience than me and would love your opinons. I feel I need to upgrade to propably a 40g tank for my requirements and should then go back to my liverbearers until doing so.

Yes, that is way overstocked. The fact that it's a corner doesn't give it a lot of length. Besides, you want to put 34 fish in a 20 gallon tank. I overstock my tanks, following the 1 fish per gallon rule. You would be pushing 2 fish per gallon.......

IMO tetras are pretty boring, and are good filler fish. I have a 30 gallon tetra tank (neons, black neons, orange flames). The stock is 12, 6, 8 and there are also 7 or 8 kuhli loaches. While the colors are pretty, that's really all the tank has going for it. I would mix it up and keep a couple schools of different types of fish, rather than do 3 different tetras.

Thanks Jaysee -- I thought this would be the case and your comments a very refreshing. I think I may go back to a livebearer eco setup. To do this right, and not get over excited with the amount of fish to stress everyone out, how many should I include? Do you think this would be fine:

x3 Guppy (1 male)
x3 Platy (1 male)
x3 Sword (1 male)
x3 cory

-- plus, would there be room for a small group of neons or would this be pushing the tank capacity too much??

Platys and swords interbreed, so if that's a concern for you I wouldn't keep them together.

I wouldn't do more than 1 species of livebearer. A 20 isn't that big. IMO guppies are your best choice, as they are the smallest. I would do 2 males and 5 or 6 females. You will have fry, so something that will eat them will be a good addition. Still, there may be some survivors.

I think guppies, neons and cherry barbs would be a nice tank. I would skip on the corys - IMO they need a 30" long tank.